Franchise Today

On January 5, 2021, two US Senate seats are up for grabs in State of Georgia run-offs.  FACT:  The outcomes of these elections could lead to devastating, if not existential threats to franchising, nationwide.       On Wednesday at Noon ET, David Barr and Ron Feldman join me to discuss how and why.  David Barr is the Immediate Past Chair of the IFA, Franchisor, Franchisee, thought leader and invest...

Bruce Mehlman, is the founder and CEO of Washington DC based, bipartisan, government relations firm, Mehlman, Castignetti, Rosen & Thomas and he delivers an encore performance this week.  As you may remember, Bruce's firm helps Fortune 500 companies and innovative startups understand, anticipate and navigate the ever-evolving policy environment and trends likely to impact the global marketplace. ...

Since 2017, Madison Jobe has been the Chief Development Officer at Wingstop.  He joins us this week to share his insights through the eyes of one who has seen it all in his illustrious franchise career, which began as a restaurant franchisee and operator, a QSR and franchising thought leader and professional, and for the past many years, as a restaurant and franchising C-Level executive.  Madison...

This week I am joined by Marcos Moura, someone whom I’ve always deemed to be one of the smart guys in franchise development… not because he’s an MBA, but rather, because of his street smarts.  Marcos is often an early adopter of things that later prove to be disruptive. And, speaking of disruptive, did any of you catch his LinkedIn post last week?  He posted up a picture of himself as a teenager,...

Graham Chapman and I recently joined Dave Pazgan to launch ZorForum, the only peer group of its kind, excusively for founders and owners of emerging franchise brands.  During today's ENCORE performance, featruring Allan Young, ShelfGenie founder and currently, Chairman of FranBridge Capital, you'll learn how it was he, who made all of this possible.  Allan is the thought leader that planted the se...

Scott Greenberg knows franchises. For more than ten years he ran a thriving multiunit Edible Arrangements enterprise that won the “Best Customer Service” and “Manager of the Year” awards out of more than 1000 locations worldwide. He’s presented keynotes and workshops to countless franchise systems. He’s seen the best, the worst and learned what it takes make a franchise operation prosper. Scott wi...

Graham Chapman is a PR, social media, and content marketing professional, with 11 plus years’ experience, helping franchise brands reach, influence, and convert qualified customer and franchise sales leads. He does so, as Vice President of Account Services at 919 Marketing, one of franchising’s fastest growing comprehensive PR, social media and content marketing agencies. Graham is a Certified Fra...

Kim Daly is one of America’s Top Franchise Consultants and has helped thousands of people explore franchise opportunities.  Most recently she also become the co-author of an Amazon International Best-Selling book, title Franchising Freedom, for which I proudly wrote the Foreword. For over 20 years, Kim has traveled the country as a keynote speaker and business break out leader.  She has hosted her...

Jeff Dudan is an author, founder, podcaster in his own right, Undercover Boss, Coach, YPO Regional Chapter Chair, Forbes Contributor and all around franchising executive and guru, with 25 years of experience founding, building, operating, and ultimately exiting a national franchise brand. Jeff’Dudan's journey as an entrepreneur began as a college athlete who founded a business to paint student hou...

Gary Goerke is one of the world's foremost experts at pinpointing emerging technologies that will make a difference in small and medium business profitability. A recognized entrepreneur, Gary combines his passion for technology and his commitment to free enterprise by serving the franchising, small business and auto dealer community. A leading evangelist for business VoIP, today Gary is focused on...

Peter Daly-Dickson is the co-founder and CEO of Macanta, a software company serving start-up and emerging franchise brands, in the UK.  One of his partners, a best-selling author, prior to the start of their joint venture, knew the value that having a book, could bring to a start-up, or emerging business.  So they thought about publishing a book centered upon their new business and its disciplines...

John Teza has served in senior executive management roles for several national restaurant companies including Corner Bakery, Jersey Mike’s and Quiznos.  Over the course of his career, John led several significant brand expansion campaigns and also served in senior level capacities in marketing, operations, IT, legal, and training. During John’s tenure, Jersey Mike’s was named the fastest growing r...

Originally conceived as a “meeting of the minds” executive group in 2013, Dave Pazgan has launched ZorForum into a one-of-a-kind peer sharing and networking platform, exclusively for franchise executives.  Members, are afforded unparalleled access to the best practices and the brightest minds within the franchising industry through regular meetings and dedicated communication platforms.  “After a...

Clarifying the non-sense of political and governmental murkiness. As summer races by, the focus now  is on fall and if, when and how schools will reopen, if, how and when professional and college sports can safely be resumed and games played, if how and when we can reclaim our lives and trade this new normal back, for some semblance of the world as we once knew it and imperfect as it might have be...

Brian Sanders, CEO and Chairman of the Board at i9 Sports joins us this week.  With over 2.5 million registrations in communities across the country, i9 Sports® is the nation’s largest multi-sport provider focused solely on high-quality, community-based youth sports programs. They offer youth sports leagues, camps and clinics for boys and girls ages 3 and up in today’s most popular sports such as...

In this encore performance, we hear from Jason Anderson, President of United Franchise Group's Venture X.  This rapidly rising concept is experiencing meteoric growth... growth though that is measured, calculated and intentional.  Like everything at UFG, there is a rhyme to the reason.  Jason explains some of the magic behind this, at Venture X.   Much can be attributed to the concept, but more, m...

After 10 solid episodes of Franchise Today, related exclusively to Covid-19 and it's impact on franchsing, we pivoted with the news cycle, producing 3 back-to-back episodes on civil unrest and reacial inequality in our country.  Then, last week's story about Martha Matilda Harper, America's first hair salon owner and the mother of modern day "retail franchising"  was a bit of a break from the heav...

Jane Plitt is a fascinating biographer, who has made it her life’s work, to uncover and share the lessons we can all learn, from the life of yet another fascinating woman: Martha Matilda Harper.  Harper was a very early stage entrepreneur and is credited with being the mother of retail franchising in America.   Plitt will reveal how this immigrant entrepreneur dared to succeed, using business for...

When I return next week, I will be joined by author, entrepreneur and visiting scholar, Jane Plitt and we will discuss her book about the amazing life of Martha Matilda Harper and her American Dream: How One Woman Changed the Face of Modern Business.  Plitt ignites audiences with topics including immigrant entrepreneurship, daring to succeed, forgotten women’s achievements, using business for soci...

So, a little time off for the 4th of July, but when I return it will be with a compelling story that I can't wait to share, when I am joined by Jane Plitt, on July 15th.   Jane Plitt ran a thriving business consulting practice until she became enthralled with the Martha Matilda Harper story.  In 1996, she was appointed a Visiting Scholar to the University of Rochester to pursue her research; the r...

John Hope Bryant is an American entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and prominent thought leader on economic empowerment and financial dignity.   Bryant is the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE, Inc., a global nonprofit headquartered in Atlanta.  Under the banner of “silver rights”, Operation HOPE has aided over 2.8 million individuals worldwide, and directed more...

Today the conversation around Diversity and inclusion continues.  There's nothing new about those words in Key Bank's lexicon.  As a matter of fact, diversity, equity and inclusion have long been  fundamental cornerstones of all things at Key Bank for years.  Today, Key Bank Senior VP Eric Fiala joins us to discuss what's going on in our world  and the role that his team plays at at Key Bank, to s...

Michael Stone and I are best of friends, with many things in common… but then too,  there are many things about each of us, that the other can’t possibly experience directly... Like playing football for 7 years in the NFL.  I will never know what that experience feels like…  and that’s just the tip of the iceberg… Michael is African American, he is a single parent... and not just any single parent...

As Host of Franchise Today, I'm accustomed to drawing out the stories, shared by my guests.  This week I actually share a story of my own.  It's about a personal and disappointing recent experience that I had as a customer, with a mega, global franchise brand, This experience was a train wreck in every possible way. As reputation management experts, Rallio's VP Ryan Hicks joins me as my subject ma...

In the name of all those who have and continue to serve our nation and especially for the families, friends and loved ones of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, Franchise Today takes this week off in your honor.  We also thank Scott Gittrich, Founder and CEO of Topper's Pizza for all of his insightful tips and information, shared last week.   I'm back next week with a conversation about the im...